Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev’s signatures Brezhnev was born in 1906 in Dneprodzerzhinsk in the Ukraine. He studied engineering at his birthplace and worked in a metallurgical factory. He joined the Komsomol (Communist Youth Organization) in 1923. In 1931 Brezhnev became member of the Communist Party and he worked under Nikita Khrushchev. During the Second World War he served as a political commissar.
In 1952 Stalin invited him to join the Politburo. In 1964 Khrushchev was ousted and by the early 1970s Brezhnev had emerged as the most important political figure in the Soviet Union.
As well as Leonid Brezhnev being Secretary-General of the Communist Party (1964-1982) he was also President of the Supreme Soviet (1960-1964, 1977-1982). His term in office was hallmarked by Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia (1968) and Afghanistan (1977), domestic economic stagnation and persecution of dissidents. The much needed reforms had to wait until after his death in 1982.
Kadar asked Brezhnev
Brezhnev was “the great friend” of the communist Hungary, as well a good friend of János Kádár, the First Secretary of the Hungarian Socialist Worker Party (Communist Party).
I was a 15 year old student when I first wanted to have a Brezhnev signature very much. In the Grammar School my Russian language teacher translated my letters into Russian language, but I never got any answer from Moscow. Soviet leaders did not respond private letters, and I understood that I would never receive his autograph.
In 1972 Brezhnev paid an official visit to Budapest. In the newspapers I saw a black and white photo showing both Brezhnev and Kádár. I wrote a letter to the Hungarian News Agency asking them, to send me a good quality photograph of the two leaders. The Agency sent me a big size photo. 
I sent the photo to Kádár asking him to sign it, and I also asked him to forward the picture to “Comrade Brezhnev” for his autograph also. Some days later I received a letter from Kádár’s Office telling me, that ”Comrade Kádár has already signed the photo, and now we are going to comply with the second part of your request. It needs some time, so we ask your kind patience”. About two months later, I received my photo back with both Kádár’s and Brezhnev’s signatures. 20 years later, I had the chance to talk with the Secretary of János Kádár. This person remembered that photo and told me, that the delegation took the photo to Moscow when Kádár visited Brezhnev on the following occasion, and Kádár personally asked Brezhnev to sign the photograph… From the Crimean Peninsula Brezhnev often invited his Communist colleagues to Crimean Peninsula. In 1979 the Hungarian party delegation visited Crimea. This photograph was inscribed to one of the members of the Hungarian delegation. Brezhnev wrote: “for memento of the Crimean meeting with respect”
Years later, this person of the Hungarian delegation added the photo to my collection as a present. 
The Menu and the New Years Card In June 1968 – just two months before the invasion against Czechoslovakia – the Hungarian Government and Party delegation travelled to Moscow. Soviet leaders gave a rich dinner for the honour of the Hungarians. For request of a delegation member, both Brezhnev and Alexei Kosygin (1904-1980) the Prime Minister of Soviet Union (1964-1980) signed the Menu Card made of red silk material – by blue ball point pen. Kosygin also wrote on it: “with respect”. On the Menu Card we can read the list of foods in Russian language. On the top we can see the coat of arms of the Soviet Union: a sickle and a hammer on a globe framed by ears of wheat. The menu was rich and gourmand: Caviar, meat mince
Pike-pearch with mushrooms
Veal filled with ham
Fresh Salad Vegetable pure (cream) soup
Cold broth with vegetables Tuna fish on the grill
Turkey in breadcrumbs with vegetable garnish Strawberry with whipped cream
Vanilla ice cream
Coffe
Fruits
Many years later the signed Menu Card was added to my collection as a gift.
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In 1974 Brezhnev sent a signed New Year Card to a Hungarian politician. This is a beautiful and colourful New Year Card, representing part of the Moscow Kremlin, the seat of the government of the Soviet Union (1922-1991), surrounded by pines. The Kremlin is a historic fortified complex at the heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moscow River, and the Red Square on the other side. It was the political symbol of the Soviet Union, the counterpart of the White House in Washington. The New Years Card was added to my collection as a present. 
Viktoria In Hungary we did not know a lot about Brezhnev’s wife. She was Viktoria Petrovna Brezhneva (1912-1995). Viktoria did not lead a public life. During her final years she lived virtually alone, abandoned by everybody. She suffered for a long time from diabetes and was nearly blind in her last years. The couple had a daughter Galina and a son Yuri. Galina in her later life became alcoholic, and died in a psychiatric hospital in 1998. I did not see any photos of Viktoria while Brezhnev was in office. So I was pleased when I received an old, private and never published photo of them. The photo was taken in a museum during their non-official visit in Budapest. On the right stands the young Brezhnev, and Viktoria in a white dress. The second person on the left side was Brezhnev’s secretary. The two other persons were Hungarians. 
Brezhnev’s watch There was a lady in Kádár’s office, who was respected by Brezhnev. Once Brezhnev gave a wristwatch to that lady and engraved his signature on the back. The watch has its original leather strap and it has the Russian trademark “Slava” which means: “Glory”. It has 17 jewels. The watch is still working… 
Dr. Zoltán Márián
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Autograph Article 
